Epiroc equipment has been used on the Shimla Bypass Tunnel Project in India, where some sections of the works require controlled excavation methods due to geological and regulatory constraints.
The project is being carried out by Bharat Constructions (India) Pvt. Ltd. as part of a wider infrastructure programme led by the National Highways Authority of India along National Highway 5, in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The route is an important transport corridor in northern India and plays a key role in regional mobility, trade and tourism.
Tunnel works in sensitive Himalayan terrain
The Shimla Bypass extends for approximately 27.4 km and has been designed to divert traffic away from the city of Shimla, reducing congestion and improving traffic flow in the area. The alignment includes tunnels, bridges and culverts built in Himalayan terrain, where construction teams have to manage complex rock conditions, fault zones and proximity to inhabited areas.
A significant part of the tunnelling work has been carried out using drill and blast methods in combination with the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. This approach allows support measures to be adapted according to ground behaviour during excavation. However, in some tunnel sections, restrictions on blasting have required alternative solutions, particularly where vibration control and safety requirements are critical.
Mechanized excavation where blasting is restricte
Following a technical assessment, Epiroc supplied the HB 3600 DP hydraulic breaker as a mechanized excavation solution for areas where blasting was limited or temporarily suspended. The equipment was used to support tunnel advance through controlled rock excavation, helping maintain continuity of work while complying with safety requirements and regulatory provisions.
The equipment was adapted for underground use, with adjustments related to tunnel clearances, working cycles and continuous excavation conditions. After commissioning and an initial stabilisation phase, the hydraulic breaker was used for rock excavation in the restricted tunnel sections.
Epiroc also provided operational and maintenance training for the contractor’s engineering and site teams. The support focused on equipment reliability, wear management and safe underground operation, with additional operator training carried out directly on site.
“With approximately three kilometres of tunnelling currently under execution, this project demonstrates how mechanized, precision-driven excavation solutions can help maintain progress when conventional blasting is constrained.”
Said Peter Royston, Business Line Manager, Attachments Division, Epiroc India.
Once completed, the Shimla Underground Bypass is expected to reduce traffic pressure in Shimla and improve travel efficiency along the NH 5 corridor. The project is also expected to support safer and more reliable transport links across Himachal Pradesh and northern India.
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